In an environment that dazzles and relaxes is Isleta del Moro
From the hippie town of Cala de Saint Peter , where more and more people settle down to wear a Bohemian life to the bustle of Saint Joseph in summer or the friendly terraces of Black ones , all facing the sea, there is no place that does not fascinate. But much remains to be discovered in the Cabo de Gata . Its 38,000 hectares go a long way and, beyond the typical places, sometimes too saturated in the summer months, there are a few hidden enclaves that surprise, amaze and will make you the traveler feels that he has discovered a unique place whether it is the first time you visit the area or you usually spend 15 days a year soaking in one of its beaches. Here are a few ideas.
Cabo de Gata is a unique place
RENTAL
The valley thus baptized is located in the crater of an extinct volcano . In that enclave, in the 19th and 20th centuries, hundreds of men went to the mines every day to extract gold and alum from the bowels of the earth. Today the complex is in ruins , just like the houses that housed these workers, since the activity was suspended due to the high economic cost of extracting these minerals.
Only a handful left one-story white houses lined up neatly on the side of the road that leads to the mines and an incomparable landscape where its inhabitants live in absolute peace , rocked by the unalterable routine of day to day. Despite the state of abandonment, the atmosphere in the mines is fascinating. You can walk around the outdoor facilities freely, climb the stairs to the upper levels – always looking where you put your foot - and, with a little imagination, to see again those workers from the land extracting the precious metal with which the coveted ingots were later made.
Rodalquilar is located in the crater of a volcano
THE MOOR ISLAND
In the summer months it loses its usual peaceful atmosphere that it enjoys the rest of the year, but during the twelve months you can taste some of the best fish in the area and know, incidentally, all the varieties that exist and the curious names with which they have been baptized, such as peter rooster, sargo, chicken either bleak , to name a few. La isleta del moro is the name of a rock outcropping located on the beach of the town of the same name, large enough to distinguish it from the main road that passes a few kilometers from the coast. Fish, fishermen, fishing nets, boats and houses . It is all that the island has and it does not need anything else. Its environment dazzles and relaxes in equal parts.
In the Isleta del Moro we will eat the best fish in the area
THE WELL OF THE FRIAR
lost in full Natural Park , this little town little more than 400 inhabitants founded on the century XVI withstands the ravages of the crisis thanks to the fact that it has become home to many European citizens, especially italians and germans , who have chosen it to live or spend rest seasons. Although only a part of the old town remains, it is still possible to feel the arabesque style of its origins , impregnated in the whitewashed houses that are crowded in its steep streets. One of its best treasures is a 14th century Ferris wheel , carefully restored thanks to the work of local artisans. Any walk around the area will discover the traveler cisterns, farmyards and windmills , good examples of the traditional rural architecture of a region that, despite the lack of water, knew how to adapt and get ahead.
Every corner of Cabo de Gata is unique
BEACH AND HERMITAGE OF TORREGARCÍA
Once you cross a fortress of dunes, the traveler who loves silence will find the Torregarcia beach , the first that includes the Natural Park if we go from Poniente. Nearby is the homonymous hermitage , although it is also known as Hermitage of the Virgin of the Sea , to whom it is dedicated. It is a solitary temple built in 1953 by popular request. It was built on the same spot where, in 1502, a lookout named Andrés de Jaén discovered in the middle of the beach wooden sculpture of the virgin mary . The temple has a very original aesthetic of african airs ; It has an octagonal plan and is covered by a semicircular dome.
Hermitage of Torregarcía, also called Hermitage of the Virgen del Mar
CHURCH AND BEACH OF LA ALMADRABA DE MONTELEVA
The fishermen's boats rest well in the sand , so that the waves do not wash them away while the sun sets on the horizon of the sea. Witness to this prodigious landscape that is repeated day after day throughout the year is the Monteleva almadraba , a beautiful and simple church that stands in front of the beach defying the passage of time. The temple belongs to the town of the same name, from 85 inhabitants , nailed in an arid surface and resounding cliffs. It was built ago a hundred years and until 2011 it was in a state of ruin, but a careful restoration has returned it to all its splendor.
The Almadraba de Monteleva is truly a prodigious landscape
SALT FLATS OF CABO DE GATA
It is the most suitable place for bird watching . The salt pans not only produce salt - 40,000 tons per year - but they are also home to numerous animal and plant species. The Junta de Andalucía calculates that in this space of 400 hectares of wetlands, some hundred different bird species and that 70% of them use it to rest during their migratory process to warmer lands.
One of the most striking species that can be seen in these parts is the Pink flamingo . At the end of July and beginning of August, which is when they are in the middle of the migration process, it is not uncommon to find colonies of thousands of these mosquito individuals . If you are lucky enough to see them fly through the sky above your head, the image can be unspeakable. One piece of advice: don't forget your camera.
Salinas de Cabo de Gata, the place for bird watching
FRAILE FARMHOUSE
Lovers of the work of Federico García Lorca: you have to know this place because it was in its vicinity where the so-called nijar crime that inspired the playwright to write Blood Wedding . An enormous palm tree flanks the entrance to the building, built by the Dominican friars of Almería in the 18th century. As a result of Mendizábal's confiscation laws, in 1836 it ended up in private hands, and it remains so today. In 2010 it was declared Well of Cultural Interest by Andalusian Government but, unfortunately, its current state is total ruin, although it has not detracted from its beauty. The farmhouse has a single floor in which there is a central patio surrounded by several rooms. It has a chapel with its bell tower, funerary crypt with twelve niches, ovens, stables, pigsties and a well-preserved cistern.